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Tuesday, September 23, 2008

The Ever-Changing, Topsy-Turvy World of a Commercial Pilot

Well... I can't say as I'm surprised at this... A hasn't been really happy about his decision to work for this company out of Anchorage. Initially, they told him he could work a 2 week on/2 week off schedule, with housing provided in Anchorage. Because it was less than he was getting here in Juneau, we really only could afford to take that job if they provided housing. There is no way we can afford 2 households.

Today, he got the final word on the housing situation (we've been going back and forth about it) and he is not able to stay in the company housing as Anchorage is "his base" and the housing is for the pilots stuck in Anchorage from their base...

He can do a 2 week on/2 week off schedule, at a reduced pay...

He won't be flying the plane for 1-2 years (he'll be the flight engineer)...

All these things considered, he hasn't been happy with the decision. Then came a discussion with the chief pilot of another airline, one that happened to employ 2 other pilots from A's failed company. He wants A to fly PIC in a Cessna Caravan and Piper Chieftain (both of which he has massive amounts of hours in), working 2 weeks on/2 weeks off, housing provided in Bethel, AK. Bethel is kind of a crap hole, but this is looking better and better to us. Most of this company's pilots commute to work on this kind of schedule, so they are used to it.

So he accepted this position today. It means getting on a plane to Anchorage (he has been in Kenai for the last week and a half) to start ground school TOMORROW. Things are moving pretty fast. He has been talking with his company for a few days now, and they told him that if he were to leave, that they would prefer he did it before his Engineer checkride. So he told his now-old boss, but I don't know what was said yet. A called me afterwards, but he was getting on the plane to Anchorage so he didn't have time to talk. He wanted me to make the arrangements for a hotel for his stay there. Which is now done... Whew!

I know he'll be MUCH happier doing this new job than he ever would have been for the other. So it's a win/win situation for us all. :)